Strap end connecting device



March 29, 1938. H. F. SHiNDEL 2,112,742-

STRAP END CONNECTING DEVICE Filed April 9, 1936 Man 5. Shinel INVENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 29, 1938 STRAP END oommc'rmc DEVICE Harry F. Shindel, Reading, Pa., assignor to Willson Products, Inc., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application April 9, 1936, Serial No. 73,438

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a device for adjustably connecting two straps or strap ends, my object being to provide a simplified device for the purpose, and of improved security and usefulness 5 with quick and easy adjustability.

One specific use for which my improved device is particularly applicable is'to unite the ends of a flexible strap of the type set forth in my prior Patent No. 1,876,770, issued September 13, 1932, to connect a pair of goggle framings or the like, which necessitates a secure engagement of the band ends to fixedly spread said framings, and a ready adjustability of said ends to vary such spread for the particular user. And further, as such flexible connecting means must necessarily be made of relatively small size, and adjustment desirably effected by workers fingers more or less clumsy and unskilled in delicate work, such connection must provide for simplified manipulation.

With such simplified ready manipulation in mind I provide for an angular spread of the free ends of the straps to facilitate separate gripping thereof, avoidance of their overlying the goggle framings to obstruct vision through the latter, and an improved angular return bend engagement with the plate, simply securable to the latter in fixed adjusted relation thereto by means preferably united to the plate so as to avoid unintentional separation and loss.

With the above main objects in View my invention comprises the adjustable connecting device more fully described in the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features thereof are spea." cifically set forth in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a top View of an ordinary pair of goggle framings connected by a flexible strap, the ends of which are shown with an adjustable connecting device embodying one form of my present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a corresponding front view of the goggle framings, indicating the strap ends extending in reverse angular directions clear of the framed lenses.

Fig. 3 is a separate front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the strap connecting plate indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the clamping part being broken away.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3, and showing a preferred clamping nut mounted on the post, broken away in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but indicating the return bend end portions engaged in the angular apertures.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but indicating a different construction of the strap engaging aperture.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View similar to Fig. 4, but indicating the aperture of Fig. 6, for the return-bend end portions engageable therein and r and my present invention relates to a connecting .15

device for such ends that will engage and firmly hold them together, though it is to be understood that my connecting device may be employed for holding together the ends of head band straps as indicated in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,876,-

77 0, or for the connection of strap'ends employed for other purposes.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and. 5, which show on an enlarged scale a connecting device embodying a preferred construction of my invention, I!) indicates a connecting plate having two similar apertures l I, l I, and an intermediate post 2 for the particular clamping device shown in these figures, and in Figs. 1 and 2. The apertures H and H are of a size to accommodate the ends 1U l5, l5 of the strap 15, and are equally spaced on opposite sides of the post I2 and reversely inclined as shown so that the strap ends passed therethrough and outwardly spread, will each have an angular return bend engaging the inclined edges H ll of said aperture, and said ends will be deflected in reverse angular directions as clearly shown. Such angular return bends are an important feature of my invention and insure a more positive and slip-proof engagement with the plate when clamped thereto as hereinafter described, and further the free ends of the straps extend outwardly at inclinations from the bent portions of the straps so as to facilitate grasping the same, and in addition such extending ends lie substantially tangential to the outer rims of the framings and can in no manner extend over the lenses 6, 6' to obstruct vision therethrough. Non-obstruction of vision and easy grasping of the ends are particularly of value in connection with goggle framings as the connecting band is necessarily of a limited width and length and adjustment made by workmen whose fingers may be clumsy.

The clamping means shown in Figs. 1 to 5 is indicated as a screw-thread nut engaging the threads of post I2, and having a knurled-head 2| and a seating face 22 to engage the return bends of the strap ends and press them against the plate I0. To prevent removal and loss of said nut 20, necessarily small, the post I2 is shown with a reduced non-thread extension I3 and head l4, and the nut provided with a recess 23 to accommodate the post head l4 and limit outward movement of thenut.

As within the spirit of my invention I have indicated in Figs. 6 and 7 a modified construction having but one aperture 25 provided with reverse angular edges 26, 26' to engage the return bend portions of the straps in the manner heretofore described, and said aperture 25 also provides an intermediate portion 21 adapted to receive the frustro-conical portion 30 of the headed stud 3| in a manner similar to that disclosed in my aforesaid Patent No. 1,876,770, said portion 30 however in the present instance having a re duced headed extension 32 permitting only a limited removal to adjust the strap ends, the headed extension 32 being of such size as to prevent removal when the strap ends are in engagement with the aperture 25. After removal of the strap ends the stud 3| may be freely removed.

The essential features in both of the above described embodiments of my invention are the reversely inclined edges of the plate adapted to engage angular bends of the strap ends for the improved non-slipping gripping engagement with said plate, and for the angular divergence of the strap end extensions to facilitate easy gripping of the same and to prevent such ends, necessarily of a length to provide for adjusting, from projecting outward to overlie the lenses and obstruct vision through the latter. The clamping means may be varied as most suitable for the purpose, but preferably should be so attached to the devices as to be releasable for strap adjusting without danger of disconnection to prevent dropping and loss.

Other modifications therein above referred to or specifically described may be developed within the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a pair of ophthalmic framings having a flexible connecting strap, a

device for securing the ends of said strap, comprising a plate provided with reversely inclined aperture edges adapted to engage and angularly deflect return-bend portions of the respective strap ends, and means for clampingly engaging said return-bend portions to said plate with the free strap ends extending in reverse angular directions so as to avoid overlying said framings.

2. In combination with a pair of ophthalmic framings having a flexible connecting strap, a device for adjustably securing the ends of said strap, comprising a plate provided with a pair of reversely inclined apertures adapted to engage and angularly deflect adjusted return-bend portions of the respective strap ends, and means intermediate said apertures for engaging adjacent return-bend portions of said straps to said plate with their free ends extending in reverse angular directions so as to avoid overlying said framings.

3. In combination with a pair of ophthalmic framings having a flexible connecting strap, a device for adjustably securing the ends of said straps, comprising a plate provided with a pair of reversely inclined apertures adapted to engage and angularly deflect adjusted return-bend portions of the respective strap ends, and a screw-threaded post on said plate intermediate said apertures and provided with a limitedly adjustable nut thereon adapted to clampingly engage both said return-bend strap portions to said plate with their free ends extending in reverse angular directions so as to avoid overlying said framings.

4. An end-connecting device for flat straps consisting of a plate having a strap-end opening formed with a return-bending edge inclined to the line of tension upon the main portion of the strap and provided with clamping means adapted to engage and disengage the angularly bent-over strap end.

5. An end-connecting device for flat straps consisting of an apertured plate formed with separate return-bending edges inclined to the line of tension upon the main portion of the strap and provided with intermediately located clamping means adapted to engage and disengage the bent-over strap ends.

HARRY F. SHIN'DEL. 

